Electrical relay



Sept. 4, 1928.

R. M. GILSON ELECTRICAL RELAY Filed Jan. 8, 1925 2 Sheets-'Sheet 1 INVENTOR'.

6a-awww ATTORNEY Sept. 4, 1928. 1,682,749

R. M. GILSON ELECTRICAL RELAY Filed Jan. 8, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 52 |NVENTQR:

l f1/L. i L BY xm' 164; ATTORNEY Patented fi, l

U hl l T E ROBERT M. GILSON. OF T Ei,

OF PENNSYLVANIA.

Application led January My 'ivention relates'to velectrical relays.

I will describe certain forms oi relays einbodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. l is a view showing in vertical section one 'form of relay embodying my invention, and vF 2 is a top plan view, with top plate removed,`

ot the relay shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view 'l0 showing a detail ot the relay shown 1n Figs. l and 2.v Fig. 4: is a perspective view ot the Vmagnetic core and the windings thereon ol.

the relay shown in Figs. l and 2. F ig. l is ak top plan view ot a portion ot the mag.:-V netic core and kwindings shown in Fig. 4.

Figs. 5 andG are views-showing'modifications of the relay shown in Figs. l and 2 and also embodying my invention. Similar reference cha 'acters refer to similar parts in each of the several views.

Referring Vfirst to Figs. l, 2, 37 4- and 4a,

the relay, which is designated as a whole by t-he reference character It, comprises a base plate 69 and a top plate 70 spaced apart by glass sides i 7l. Y ports on the base plat-e 69 is a substantially U-shaped core 72 of magnetizable material, such as soft iron, having.confronting polepieces 72a and 72b with an air gap 73 between them. This core is provided with a winning comprising' two coils 3, 3 surrounding the.'

two polespieces7 respectively,and usually connected in serleswhen the relay 1s in use, and this winding I will. term the traclr7 winding of the relay. It will be` noted that when alternating currentis supplied to this windy rD-shape'd as best shown in Figs. l and et. The upper of the core7 the lower bar rests against the other vertical ,side it' the core, and the middle bar of the S passes vertically throughthe Mounted on suitable supbar oft the f5 rests against one vertical side ELECTRICAL RELAY.

8, 1923. Serial No 611,275.

middle of the core. The two sections 3a, 3a are reversed 1n relative positions asbest shown in Fig. 4. VW hen alternating current is supplied to winding 3a, which I will termi insane E-rrr orrice.

rin-insYLvANrA; Assrenon To THE Union SWITCH a sional. contraria", er surssvnnn, rnnnsYLvnnrA, A CORPORATIONy 'the local winding of the relay, it will be clear that at any given instant magnetic flux will flow across air gap 73 in one4 direction between the right hand sections of pole-pieces V721 and 72b, and in the other direction between the left-hand sections of these pole faces."

The result of this is that when alternatingl currents of the same frequency `but displaced in phase are supplled'to windings 3 and 3, a

shiftingmagnetic flux will passthrough air Y.

gap 73, and the direction ot travel otthis flux will be reversed whenthe polarity o'l the current in one winding is reversed with rpect to the polarity of the 'current in the o er.

A shaft f2:L is mounted to oseillate in suit- `j able bearings carried by posts 67wliich vpro-V ject upwardly from the base plate 69, and

' lined to this shaft is an operatingmember Q ,of non-magnetic electro-conductive mat-erial such as aluminum4 in the form of a vane 1 or disk. This member passes through. the air gap 73 in core 72, and so is subjectedtoV the shifting magnetic l'ield created by alternat-ing currents in the windings on this core. It follows, of course, that when both windings 3 and 3a are energized, an eleetro-'mag-- netic torque willbe exerted on member 2 in Y one direction or the other depending on the relative polarity of the currents in these windings. f g

It'will'be observed that with this arrangement thenumber'of turns in `the .S-shaped winding 3EL is very small compared with the number of turns in winding 3. It, therefore, the two windings are to produce a compare able number. of lampe're-turns, the current through winding 3.a must becorrespondingly great. In practice the current actually-required in this winding is ofthe magnitude of several hundred amperes. As shown in the.l drawing the immediate source of this current is jthe secondary winding ot] a special transformer` Q which is placed as .close as possiblel to the winding 3L in'order to'reduc'e losses in connections and in this instan'ceis"V mounted within the relay case 69.` f ll`hesec-V I ondary oi thisv transformer comprises a. sin-V Fig. 3) and projecting into l two pins 14 and 15 respectively,

member.

vor back contacts V'block 2() ora fixed carrying rocker arms 4 and 5, pivotally mounted in brackets suspended from the top plate of the relay. Attached to rocker arm 4 is a horizontal bar 6 the tree end of Whichis pivotally connected with a vertically disposed link 9. Similarly, attached to rocker arm 5 is a horizontal bar 7 the free end Vof which is pivot-ally attached to link 8. The lowei` ends of the links 8 and 9 are provided with slots 12 and 13, respectively, (see these slots are which pins are movable with the member 2 and are located on oppositesides of the axis of the As here shown, these pins pass through a slotted block 74 which is attached to the member 2 and the shaft 2a. l

Rocker arm 4 controls a set of contacts of which only two are shown in the drawing. One of these contacts comprises a spring` 18 attached to the rocker arm 4 and cooperating with a fixed contact block 32, and this I will call the normal contact. The other Contact comprises a spring 17 attached to the rocker arm and co-'operating with a ixed contact block 33; this I will term one of the middle The rocker arm 5 likewise controls a set ot contacts of which only* two are shownin the drawing. rIhese contacts comprise a spring'19 attached to the rockei` arm and co-operating with a fixed contact block -21 depending upon the position of the rocker arm. Contact 19-211 willl term a reverse Contact, and contact-1920 I will term one of the middle or back contacts of the relay. It is understood thateachrocker arm may be provided with a plurality of contacts similar to those shown in Fig. 1, and in Fig. 7 where a plurality ot such contacts are shown, the exponents a, b and c are used to designate the several contacts of each set.

The two rocker arms 4 and 5 are provided with counterweights 10 and 11 respectively which bias these arms to such positions that the middle or backV contacts 17-33 and 19 20 are closed. Y f

Each rocker arm 4 andv 5 also carries a bar 8O which co-acts withV adjustable front and back stop screws in a fixed block 81, whereby the swinging motion of vthe arm is restricted Ato the desired limits.

The operation of the relay shown Fig. 1, as thus far described, is as follows: When one or both of thestator windings 3,' 3 are de-energized, there is, of course, no electromagnetic torque on the movable member 2,

and this member is then held in the `'position in which it is shown by the action of the counterweights 10 and 11 on the rocker arms 4 andl 5. rlibe back contacts 174-33 and two contactl 12)#20 are then closed, whereas both the normal and reverse contacts are open.` Irwill now Vassume that both stator vwindings 3 and 8 become energized by currents of such relative polarity that a torque is exerted on member 2 in clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1. Then the member moves in that direction pin 15 drives link 9 downwardly, whereas pin 14 moves Afreely upwardly in the slot 12 in link 8. '.lhe downward movement of link 9 causes the counterweight 11 to rise and .also swings the rocker arm 4 in clockwise direction, thereby opening the back contact 17d-33 and closing the normal Contact 18-32. The member 2 continues its movement until the force exerted by the normal contact plus the torque due to counterweight 10 is equal te the electromagnetic torque exerted on the member. It will be observed that during such operation of the member 2 the contactscontrolled by the rocker arm 5 are not ai'iiected. As soon as one or both of the stator windings become de-energized, the member 2 will be restored to its biased or initial position by the action of counter weight 10.

l will now assume thaty the relative polarities of the currents of the stator windings 3 and 3a are such as to swing member 2 in counter-clockwise direction. Pin 14 then drives link 8 downwardly whereas pin 15 moves freely upwardly inthe slot 13. The downward movement of link 8 raises counterweight 11 from its stop and swings the rocker arm 5 in counter-cloclnvise direction, thereby opening` the back contact 19-20 and closing the reverse contact 19-21. During this operation oi the member 2 the contacts controlled by rocker arm. 4 are not aiected. When torque is removed from the member 2, this member is restored to its biased position by the action of the counterweight 11.

Referring now to Fig. 5, the relay shown herein is the saine as that shown in Figs. 1 to 4, with the addition of an auxiliary contact 23-24 comprising a fixed contact member 24 and a contact spring 23 mounted on insulating studs 22b fixed to. a member 22. Member 22 is attached to an arm 29 which is pivotally mounted at point221, and also attached to the arm 29 is a bar 25 carrying a spring 26 the free end of' which is provided with a roller 27..y Roller 27 co-operates with a cam 28 fixed to the shaft on which the movable member v2 is mounted. Arm 29 carries two weights 29, 29, so that this arm together with the weights constitutes an inertia device for causingT retarded operation of contacts 23-24. YVhen the movable member 2 is in its biased or middle position, raised by the Cam 28 tion the auxiliary contact 234-24 is closed. When the movable member 2gis` swung in either direction from its biased position, roller 27 is released by the cam- 28, wherelili) liti upon the auxiliary7 Contact swings to the open position due to the weight of bar 25. I will now assume that the vmember 2 makes a continuous movement from one extreme position to the other. During such movement the roller 27 is raised momentarily by the cam 28, but owing to the eiiect of the inertia device 29-29L the auxiliary contact 23-.24 does not'close, so that the only reffect ot raising thc roller 27 is to bend the spring 26. It will be seen, therefore, thatl when member 2 is'in its biased position contact 23-24 is closed, when the member 2 moves to either extreme position this `contact opens, and this contact does not close during continuous movement ofthe member 2 from either eX- treme position to the other.

It will be Aobserved that when the member 2 swings in either direction 'from-its biased position, the only force tending to oppose movement of the member is the torce exerted by counterweight 10for` 11, and so it follows that the relay requires no'more operating energy than it the auxiliary contact 23-24 were not provided.

Referring now to Fig. 6, the relay shown in this view is the same as that shown in Fig. 5 except for a modified .structure for controlling the auxiliary contact 23424. In Fig. 6 the movable spring member 23 of this contact is attached to an arm 22 which in turn is fixed to a Z-shaped armature 83 operating in a magnetizable core 82. The core 82 is provided with a winding 84 which is included in a circuit with a suitable source ot current the terminals of which are designated B and O in the drawing. This circuit is controlled by a contact 85 governed' by the cam 28 and roller 27 in such manner thatthe contact is open when the member 2 is in its lmiddle or biascdposition, and closed when this memberswings `to either extreme position. Y

The Z-armature 83 and arm 22 are biased to such position that Contact 23-24 is closed, but when winding 84 is energized 'the armature 83 swings to such position that this contact is, open. Owing to the sluggish action of armature 83, however, thejoperation is Such that when contact'85 opens momentarily during a continuous movement et member2 from either extreme position to theother, a complete movement of armature 83 will not occur and so contact 23-24 will not close.

It should be pointed out that the'relay shown in Fig. 6 requires'no more operating energy from thetraek circuit than'it contact 23-24 were not provided. A certain amount ot' additional energy is, oi' course, required for the operation of the Zarinature,

but! this energy may be supplied iron-'i a localA source and does not increase the from the track circuit. l y. y

Although I have herein shown and `described only a. fewiorms of relays embodying my invention, it is understood that various power drawn changes and modifications may be f made there-in within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what V while the remaining pin slides idly in the slot of its associated link, and contacts controlled by said rocker arms. y Y

2.A relay comprising two rockeraims each biased to one position, an `operating member mount-ed to move in opposite Vdirections from a middle position, means interposed between said member and said arms tor moving one arm in opposition toits bias when the member moves in one direction from its middle position and for moving the other arml in opposition to its bias when the mem# ber moves in-theother direction i'romits middle position, and two contactscontrolled by each rocker arm one ot which .contacts is closed when the arm is inits biased position andthe other of which contacts isfclosed when the arm is moved in opposition to its bias.

3. A relay comprising an operating member biased to a middle position and movable in opposite directions therefrom to two eX- treme positions, two sets of contacts `each set including a normally closed and a normally open contact, means operating when 'said member moves to one extreme I position to open the normally closed contact and close the `normally open contact ot one set, means operating when said member moves to the;

other eXtreme position to open the normah `ly closed contact and close the normally open contact of the other set, an auxiliaryfcontact open when said member occupies eitherex-v treme position and closed when said member occupies its biased position, and means for preventing momentary closure ofI said auxiliary contact during continuousv` movement of vsaid member `from one extreme position 5 to the other. Y I Y 4. A relaycomprising a core of magnetizable material having confronting pole-faces, a winding onv said core for inducing magnetic iiux in one directionthroughout the entire' core, aisecond winding on said core for inducing magnetictlux in one direction in a portion of the core andin the opposite direc-y tion in another portion of the core, an oper#` ating member of non-magnetizable electro-conductive material mounted to move be rection from a portion of one pole-face to the Y confronting portion of the other' pole-facer and .in the'opposite direction from the re-v mainder of the first pole-face to the remain-V der of the second pole-face, and a contact controlled by said operating member.

A 6. A relay comprising a core of magnetizable material having confronting pole faces, an' operating member of non-magnetizable electro-conductive material mounted to move in the air gap between said pole-faces, means for creating an alternating magnetic flux which at any o'iven instant flows in the u t same direction from all parts of one poleface to all parts of the other pole-face, a'

winding comprising two Vsubstantially Se shaped members connected in series and located on said core on opposite sides of said air gap in such manner that the two members kare reversed in positions, and a Contact controlled by said operating member.

7 A relay vcomprising two rocker arms each biased to one positon, an operating member mounted to move in opposite directions from a middle position, means interposed between said member and said arms for moving one arm in opposition to its bias when the membercmoves in one direction from its mid-y dle position and vfor moving the other arm in opposition to its bias when the member moves in the other directionfrom its middle position, contacts controlled by said rocker arms, an, auxiliary contactopen when said member occupies either extreme position and closed when said member is at rest in its middle position, and inertia means for preventing said auxiliary cont-act from closing during con tinuous movement of said operating member through its middle position.

8. Arelay comprising two rocker armsv each biased to one position, an operating member mounted to move in opposite directionslfrom a middle position, means interposed between Said member and said arms for moving one armin opposition to its bias'when the member moves in one direction from its middle position .and for moving the Vother arm in opposition to its bias when the mem-A ber moves in the other direction from its middle position, contacts controlled by said rock er arms, an auxiliary Contact biased to the closed position, an electromagnet, a Z-armature controlled by said electromagnet and operating to open said auxiliary Contact when said electromagnet is energized, and means for energizing said elcctromagnet when said operatingmember moves away from its middle position, the operation of said Z-armature being suiiiciently .sluggi sh to prevent said auxiliary contact from closing during a continuous movement of said operating member through its middle position.

9. A relay comprisng an operating member biased toa middle position, and movable in opposite directions therefrom to'two ex-` treme positions, contacts controlled by said member, an auxiliary contact biased to the closed position, a. slow acting electric motor for opening saidcontact, and means forenergizing said motor when said member occupies either extreme position.

10. A relay comprising an operating member biased to a middle position and movable in opposite directions therefrom to two extreme positions, contacts controlled by said member, an auxiliary contact biased to the closed position, an electromagnet, a Z-armature controlled by. said elcctromagnet and` operating to open said auxiliary contact when said electromagnet is energized, and means for energizing said electromagnet when said operating member moves away from its middle position, the operation of said Z-armature -being suiiiciently sluggish vto prevent said auxiliary Contact from closing during a continuous movementof said operating member through its middle position.

I l1. A relay comprising an operating member biased to a middle position and movable in opposite directions therefrom to two cxtremepositions, contacts controlled by said member, a cam operatively connected with said operating member, a follower controlled by said cam, and an auxiliaryY contact controlled by said follower. Y

12. A relay comprising a suitable case, a core of magnetizable material having confronting pole faces and mounted in saidcase, a windingA on said core for inducing magnetic fiux'in one direction throughout the'entire core, a second winding on lsaid core for in. ducingmagnetic flux in one dir ction in a portion of the core, Vmeans contained in said case for LVsupplying current to said second` winding, Yan operating member of -nonmagnetizable electro-conducting material mounted to move between said pole-.faces vand a con-V tact controlled by said operating member.

13. A` relay comprising a suitable case, a core of' magnetizable material having con- Jfronting pole-faces and mounted in said case, a winding on said core for inducing magnetic fiuxin one direction throughout the entire core, a second winding `on said core for in- CTI ducing magnetic flux in one direction in a portion of the core, a transformer contained in said case for supplying alternating current to said. second winding, an operating member of non-magnetizable electro-conducting material mounted to move between said pole-faces and a contact controlled means located adjacent said relay for sup'- plying alternating current to said Winding and a contact controlled by said operating member. i

15. A relay comprising a core ofy magnetizable material having confronting polefaces, an `operating member of non-magnetizable electro-conductive material mounted to move in the air gap between said polefaces, means forcreating an alternating mag netic flux which at any given instant flows in the same direction from all parts of one poleface to all parts of the other pole-face, a transformer having a secondary comprising a very few turns for supplying alternating current to said winding, and a contact controlled by said operating member. l

16. A relay comprising a core of magnetizable material having confronting pole-faces,

y an operating member of non-magnetizable electro-conductive material mounted to move in the air gap between said pole-faces, means for creat-ing an alternating magnetic flux which at any given instant flows in the same directionl from all parts of one pole-face to all parts of the other pole-face, a transformer located adjacent said relay and having one turn in its secondary for supplying alternate ingV current to said winding, and a Contact controlled by said operating member.

17. A relay vcomprising two rocker arms each biased to one position, an operating member mounted to move in opposite direc tions from a middle position, means inter'- posed between said member and said arms 'for moving one arm in opposition to its bias when the member moves in one direction from its middle position and for moving the other arm in opposition to its bias when the member moves in the other direction from its middle position, auxiliary contacts controlled by said rockerarms, an auxiliary contact controlled by said operating member, said auxiliary contact being open when said member is in either extreme position and closed when said member is at rest in its biased position, and means for preventing said auxiliary contact from closing momen-y tarily during continuous movement of the operating member through its middle position.

18. `A relay comprising an operating member biased to a middle position and movable in opposite directions therefrom to two extreme positions, contacts controlled by said member, a cam operatively connected with said operating member, a follower controlled by said cam, a circuit controller operated by said follower, and an auxiliary contact controlled by said circuit controller.

19. A relay comprising an operating member biased to a middle position and movable in opposite directions therefrom to two extreme positions, contacts controlled by 'said member, a cam operatively connected with said operating member, a follower controlled by saidcam, a circuit controller operated by said follower, a slow acting electric motor controlled by said Circuit controller, `and an auxiliary contact controlled by said motor.

In testimony whereof I aliixmy signature.

sonner M. erLsoN. 

